Virtually all aspects of modern life are permeated by electronic controls, devices, etc. This has resulted in demands for more features and lower costs that require more circuitry in ever-shrinking form factors. These demands are growing at an ever-increasing rate with no apparent bounds. The underlying technology to meet the demands of our modern life involves tiny electronic circuits designed to respond and react to our world. The tiny and fragile electronic circuits are manufactured and packaged to survive our physical world to provide the functions demanded by our modern conveniences. From personal electronics to automobiles to industrial systems, the tiny, fragile electronic circuits are subjected to impacts, stress, thermal extremes, as well as carefree or careless end-users.
An integrated circuit die is a small device formed on a silicon wafer, such as a semiconductor wafer. Such an integrated circuit die is typically cut from the wafer and attached to a substrate or base carrier for redistribution of interconnects. Bond pads on the integrated circuit die are then electrically connected to the leads on the carrier via wire bonding. The integrated circuit die and wire bonds are encapsulated with a protective material such that a package is formed. The leads encapsulated in the package are redistributed in a network of conductors within the carrier and end in an array of terminal points outside the package. The terminal points allow the integrated circuit die to be electrically connected with other circuits, such as on a printed circuit board.
The integrated circuit die is typically mounted on the carrier or leadframe for positional integrity and protection from physical stress. The integrated circuit die and the leadframe are then encapsulated or packaged together for use in a system or product. In order to manufacture a leadframe, a type, and size of integrated circuit device is determined and constrains the design. Manufacturing leadframes involves different sizes, numbers and types of leads and integrated circuit die attach paddles. A large number and variety are required by the limited flexibility for integrated circuit die types and sizes. The large number and variety are further exacerbated by the demands for smaller form factors and lower costs. Current solutions continue to suffer from issues with large die applications, bond wires, lead spacing, structural integrity, and die attach options.
Thus, a need still remains for an integrated circuit package system to provide improved area, volume, and manufacturing yield with flexible die attach options. In view of the increasing demand for improved integrated circuits and particularly more functions in smaller products at lower costs, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.